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Lourenne
Lourenne is a confederation located on the west coast of Dovani. It is bordered by the Anantonese Ocean to its west, the Bahia del Lodo to its north, the Imperial Federation of Sekowo to its east, and the tropical southwestern tail of the Barrier Range to its south. The Empire was the successor to the Golden Kingdom, established in 2705, which retains the same royal family, although the current system grants royal supremacy over Lourenne's Southern Territories, as well as recognizing the increasing importance of the Mixtec Mayan culture. Geography Lourenne consists of three distinct geographic areas. The northern provinces of Alvium and New Kreshar sit on a lush lowland covered with floodplains and dense swamps. Though a harsh and unforgiving environment, the native Lourennians have adapted well to these conditions, and despite the prevalence of disease, these provinces are the most populous in the country. In addition to the large coastal cities that serve as outlets for a majority of the nation's agricultural and industrial output, the numerous rivers are dotted with densely packed 'barter towns' that sustain relatively large populations through an intricate network of riverine trade. To the south of these lowlands, Lourenne's rivers flow northward from the expansive chain of mountains known as the Barrier Range. The provinces of Kreshar and Kundir are dominated by its densely forested, subtropical foothills and end in the great peaks that divide Lourenne from the unclaimed tropical forests and plains to the south. Though generally more hospitable than the northern provinces, Kreshar and Kundir are also more isolated and far less developed. Impoverished towns sprawl across the jagged hills and valleys, sustained by subsistence farming and basic support from the nation's logging and mining industries. The western peninsula of Haboves consists of lush temperate hills and broad valleys. Traditionally the home of the wealthier Rildanorian colonists, the majority of Haboves' citizens live in the small, wealthy cities on its western and northern coasts. Historically, these cities have served as the nation's centers for international trade, receiving the processed and refined goods of the eastern provinces prior to shipping them out onto the international sea lanes. Due to repealed regulations, as well as cultural differences and high costs of living, the population in these cities has remained relatively low, though recent years have seen a steadily growing influx of ethnic Mixtecs from the crowded cities of the eastern provinces. Beyond these urban areas, Haboves consists of large farms and plantations traditionally owned by the nation's powerful merchant class. Focused primarily on corn, tobacco, sugar, and coffee, the Haboves peninsula is a vital source of revenue and also provides for the majority of food consumed in the nation's cities. The climate in Lourenne is almost uniformly hot and humid with all areas of the country subject to frequent rainfall. The northern lowlands are prone to flooding in especially wet years, and Haboves tends to experience hurricanes in the late Summer. The country as a whole does not have a particularly high amount of seismic activity, though the more remote areas of the Barrier Range contain a few active volcanoes. History Early Lourennian History See article: History of Lourenne (Pre-2437) Founding of The Free Republic (2437 to 2450) In August of 2437, a loose coalition of regional leaders formed a provisional council in Lac des Lumières, Kreshar to determine how to replace Merovichi's government. For four and a half months, the country was patrolled by soldiers of the Republican Army, who mostly ignored the council in Lac des Lumières but were too afraid of resistance to enforce many laws. In January of 2438, the council elected an Interim President, Arcadius Ramet of the National Orthodox Front, to govern Lourenne as a confederation of municipal governments until the constitution could be written for a fully functional republic. Each subsequent month saw the election of another Interim President until July, when the constitution was finalized and ratified by a majority of the representatives in Lac des Lumières. Bennie Hutton of the Redemption Party became the first President of the Free Republic of Lourenne, having served two terms as a popular Interim President immediately prior. The first Parliament of the Free Republic of Lourenne was also elected that month, with center-left parties taking a large majority (leaving the National Orthodox Front as the lone conservative opposition). The first Parliament had five hundred members; this proved to be a nightmare of parliamentary logistics, and the number was reduced to one hundred in March of 2439. Nevertheless, the oversized Parliament moved to institute egalitarian civil rights and modernize the country's infrastructure. The international community, in response, lifted the embargoes previously placed on Lourenne, and in an important gesture of reconciliation, the Federated Cities of Sekowo proposed a trade and non-aggression treaty and donated three billion SEK in untied aid to Lourenne. An otherwise uneventful twelve years passed before any real opposition to the leftist, laissez-faire coalition took hold. The Socialist Fiasco (2450 to 2454) The elections of 2450 caused a massive upset in the young republic. Several new socialist parties, led by President Stephen Ramirez of the Secular Party, took control of the legislative and executive branches, rapidly establishing a socialist infrastructure that sought to nationalize all domestic industry, to provide free health care, education, and welfare to all citizens, and to end capitalist enterprises in Lourenne. Although the relevant legislation passed successfully, the government's total lack of funds and infrastructure caused a critical failure in the plan, and the ineffective socialism was massively unpopular with voters in 2454. For dismantling the military and making threats against the children of their political enemies, the Secular Party was censured by Parliament in 2456, after most of their socialist legislation had been reversed. During their brief tenure, the socialists established Subsistence Offices around the country for the distribution of food, water, health care, and wages to all citizens. In practice, the Offices were ineffective, and civil unrest was excessive. Part of the military splintered off into its own entity in Mont Xinyar, Kundir, ludicrously declaring the city to be its own sovereign nation. The supposed revolution collapsed in on itself within a month, as the city stopped receiving food shipments and had no agricultural infrastructure of its own. The result was a bloody skirmish between various members of the splintered army, various sects within the city, and the city's police force. In a telling sign of the dismal state of Lourenne, the rest of the country took little notice of this event. Decentralization (2454 to 2491) The anti-socialist Economic Liberty Party, Redemption Party, and Society For A Free And Safe Lourenne rallied behind Walter Bagehot in 2454, successfully reclaiming the presidency and the legislature. The cabinet was restructured in April of 2455 and filled with decentralist Ministers who would retain their posts until 2467, twelve years later. The Secular Party's legislation was reversed, law by law, over the course of two or three years, and the party eventually disbanded. After that, the decentralists pushed through a platform of near-total federalism, leaving the details of most laws to local governments. The anti-socialist parties soon turned against one another; when the SFAFASL grew unpopular, senators from the Redemption Party began to oppose the ELP, calling the party "worthless" and "lazy." In an ironic turn of events, the decentralists had their worst in-fighting over where the national capitol building should be built. The Parliament had actually been meeting in different cities every year as though attending conferences, mostly in Lac des Lumières, Kreshar, Valois, New Kreshar, and St. Domitius, Haboves, but this was becoming expensive, and many times a legislative quorum was difficult to establish. After a young senator from Solinville, Haboves insulted the province of New Kreshar, the Proletarian Relief Party marched out of Parliament, and has not returned since; their votes are sent sporadically by mail and are invariably contrary to the majority, prohibiting the legal establishment of a national capital. In April of 2469, the Economic Liberty Party pulled a similar protest and no longer participates in the legislature. Several new political groups began to form, including the Lourenne Democratic Party, the Progressive Party, and the Old Guard Party. Although the parties are still unrepresented, they have helped to neutralize many of the controversies in Lourenne by successfully lobbying the parties in power for consideration of important social issues. Furthermore, the Socialist Reformist Party has helped to improve the public's view of socialism by distancing itself from the early 50s regime and focusing on the humanitarian aspects of socialism. In 2471, the legislature was renamed the Senate and after work began on a capitol building in the nation's capital, Valois, the lawmakers of Lourenne will have a place to hold session. In 2481, the Senate expanded from 100 to 200 senators. In the mid 2480's, a number of socialistic parties came into existence and captured the hearts of the people, who granted them a landslide victory in the 2487 election. However, when the Nationalist Party called for early elections, the old parties (The Democrats, PP, and OGP) of Lourenne joined an alliance to take back the government. They succeeded in putting Lucié Ormancey, a Democrat, in the presidency with a Progressive VP. Some reporters called this manoeuver a political Coup d'État against President Richard The Numb from the Democratic People's Party. The Democrats responded through the media stating that they had no confidence as to the new President's performance and that he was "a joke of a commander-in-chief". Socialism vs. Nationalism (2491 to 2516) In 2491 the socialists conquered the presidency and instituted a government on behalf of the People, when the DPP supported the PDyS, making Diego Benítez President. In the legislature, the PDyS won 26 seats while the People voted for 47 DPP seats. However, the people also gave huge support (49 seats) to the LNP, giving this party almost a quarter of the seats in the Senate. A year into Benítez' presidency trouble with the cabinet occured. The President was unable to get a new cabinet confirmed due to a filibuster placed by the the Democrats, and when laws set to nationalize certain cooperatives, Prime Minister James Summersdale resigned his post February 2492, with him followed Foreign Affiars Minister Cornelius Hampton, Minister of Justice Arthur C. Winters, and Jessica Chenoweth Hayes Minister of Health & Social Services. It took the President more than a year to fill his cabinet, which was finally confirmed in July 2493. Less than a year after the cabinet confirmation, Lucié Ormancey was reinstated as president. However, she was not as popular as she was the first time, and when her term was over, the People elected Martin Jackson of the WPL. Soon afterwards, when the newly elected government proposed the implementation of Communism, the Establishment parties balked and called for new elections. After initial opposition, the CPP and the Worker's Party joined in support of new elections to make absolutely clear that the People had stood up and voted for Communism. In the election, the People did indeed stand up and demand Communism, giving a smashing victory at the polls to the Communist Parties. Shortly afterwards, Communism was implemented in Lourenne. The end of communist policy came with the defeat of Martin Jackson and the election of Jason Firefox as President. Return to Deregulation (2516-2671) With the election of Jason Firefox as President of Lourenne, a new era of de-regulation was ushered in, and for the first time in Political History, a Libertarian Party known as the Freedom Party of Lourenne came into existence. The Freedom Party pushed a heavy de-regulation agenda in co-operation with the Old Guard Party, a new coalition was formed in the Senate and various powers were transferred to Local Governments. Despite his high popularity, President Firefox announced he would not run in the next election due to his ailing health. Since he stepped down there has been a seemingly endless battle between the regulators led by the People's Power Party and the moderate de-regulators led by the Old Guard Party with the OGP and their de-regulation allies winning more often than not. However, in 2670 the OGP dropped out leaving only the New Republic Party to carry the banner of de-regulation. The NRP was relatively new and inexperienced compared to the People's Power Party. The PPP seemed set to advance to power. The big question leading up to the election was will the socialists return to power in Lourenne or will the de-regulators retain control? The answer would be the voter's decision. Return of Socialism (2671-2704) With the election of Johannes Hermann von Lugendorf as President socialism made a huge comeback. Along with aid from the Lourennian Nationalist Party the People's Power Party instituted a huge amount of social, economic, and military reforms, which have been heavily opposed by the New Republic Party. Lourenne had in effect become a Socialist state. The military had become a major player and of great importance to the government. The government nationalized almost all industries and imposed heavy regulations on those that remained. The PPP also put forward bills to increase the sized of the Senate to 450 seats. These seats would also be distributed equally between the provinces. A resolution proposed by the LNP called ORIALS was passed which set the stage for possible territorial conflict with Sekowo over the legal status of native Lourennians in Sekowo. However, the situtation was resolved when the resolution was repealed by the NRP and the PPP. Not long after the OGP reappeared on the political scene taking over the presidency. However, in the first years of 28th century the party went mad with power, when their ally the New Republic Party joined the OGP. This led to three years of oppression and in its wake, the Golden Kingdom of Lourenne was founded. Politics Lourenne is a constitutional monarchy with a constitution that divides power into three branches of government. A ceremonial monarch with reserve powers, a prime minister and his cabinet who hold executive responsibilities, and a unicameral parliament that legislates by majority vote. Currently, the country trends center-right in ideology, although there is a dichotomy in the legislature between capitalist and socialist parties. Active Political Parties (As of September 2684) {| |- style="background-color:#b0c4de" |'Name' |'Political Spectrum' |'Government Stance' |'Seats' |- |Nouvellé Action Royalisté) |align="left"|Centre-Right |align="left"|Nationalist, militarist, monarchist |align="left"|148 |- Historical Parties of Lourenne Lourenne Green Party, Freedom Party of Lourenne, Federal Peace Movement, R.K.B.A., Worker's Party of Lourenne, Backbone Party, Labour Party of the Free Republic (Conservative Party of Lourenne), Liberal Conservative party, Democratic People's Party (CPP & PAU), Democratic & socialist Party (PDyS), Republican Party, Lourenne and Liberty, Husky Party, Cliclir Party, Boston Party, Maitre Party, Centre Party, Lourennian Nationalist Party, G_Low Party, Social Democratic Party, The Mafia Imperial Party, Old Guard Party, Republican People's Party of Lourenne, Lourenne Democratic Party, Progressive Party, The Connecticut for Matty Party, ZDist Party, Socialist Egalitarian Movement, Lourenne Patriot and Reform Party, Socialist Reformist Party, Secular Party, Proletarian Relief Party, Liberal Humanist Party, RAi Consortium, Society For A Free And Safe Lourenne, Redemption Party, Economic Liberty Party, Technocratic Party, National Orthodox Front, Cyborg Unity Party, Libertophile Party, Liberal Humanist Party, eulcedes Party, Freedom Party of Lourenne, Lourenne Green Party, Conservative Party (Lourenne, Libertarian Party Party, Socialist Party Republicans, Destroyers Party, Liberal Party of Lourenne People's Power Party Cabinet and Government Officials See article: Lourenne's Cabinet Judiciary See article: Supreme Court of Lourenne Economics According to international aid organizations, Lourenne is classified as a developing country, though historically, the nation's economy has been relatively stable. This is primarily due to a rich tradition of trade, though Charles Merovici's isolate regime did much damage to Lourenne's standing on the international market. Lourenne's chief exports are agricultural products, primarily coffee, corn, sugar, and tobacco. The nation also has a promising but underdeveloped logging and mining industry. Many of the manufactured goods consumed by the population are produced internally, but these products constitute only a minute fraction of the nation's exports. Locally, the majority of Lourenne's communities rely on subsistence agriculture and a decentralized fishing industry. The Franc of the Lourennian kingdom is the nation's official currency. Culture Despite retaining a largely indigenous population, Lourenne's culture is highly westernized, a consequence of centuries of emulating the culture of Rildanor. However, since the days of the Second Republic, the two nations have become increasingly divergent with many Lourennian nativists attempting to reintroduce elements of the nation's pre-colonial cultures. Still, French remains a strong second language, and those who do not take Rildanorian-style names remain in the minority. Historically, the Orthodox Catholic Church has been the dominant religion in Lourenne, but since the beginning of the anti-colonial movement, its influence has waned. Though Charles Merovici's attempts to outlaw the Church altogether caused a brief resurgence in religious devotion, the majority of Lourenne's culture remains fundamentally secular. The majority of Lourennians (87%), however, continue to identify themselves with the Church by name only, while not necessarily practising. Beyond the mainstream culture, a few distinct cultural groups thrive in the country's interior. The Cajuns, rustic descendants of poor Rildanorian colonists, have a colorful culture that, surprisingly, remained on good terms with their Mixtec Mayan neighbors throughout the anti-colonial period. The often small yet sizable Xinca and Miskito ethnicities, having long isolated themselves from the rest of the country, maintain what they consider to be the nation's only 'authentically indigenous' culture, as they speak their own language and scorn all but the most practical Western garb. Lourenne is best known for its history of colorful political figures, but a few Lourennians have had a major cultural impact. The political writings of Alois Arron, a poet and contra-Marxist socialist, have had a major influence on reform movements across the developing world. Numerous Cajun and Mayan jazz musicians, including Nico Laurent and Alfans Serrou, are considered visionaries within the genre, particularly for their integration of indigenous musical motifs. More recently, nativist artist Mali Dz'acar has garnered worldwide acclaim for her traditional Mayan murals and sculptures. Demographics Though an increasing number of natives, particularly in urban areas, have taken to ethnically self-identifying as 'Lourennian', the country is actually descended from a variety of different peoples. Approximately 80% of the population is Mixtec Mayan, the dominant ethnic group in the central and eastern provinces. The Mixtec, however, also came to intermarry frequently with the Rildanorian colonists, and as a result, many have distinct Franco-Germanic features, including a lighter complexion than their pure Mixtec Mayan countrymen. Not coincidentally, throughout the colonial era and during the First and Third Republics, French Mixtecs held a disproportionate amount of power in Lourenne's government compared to the other indigenous peoples. 15% of the population belong to Lourennians of French Rildanorian ancestry, though they can be further divided into two groups. About 6% (out of the 15) consists of 'proper' Rildanorians who maintain strong ties to their cultural homeland. These Rildanorians are typically wealthy and concentrated in Haboves. The other 9% are also descended from Rildonarians, but they are more commonly known as 'Cajuns'. The Cajuns descend from poor traders and fur trappers that settled deep in the swamps of the eastern provinces. A rugged people who downplay their Rildanorian ancestry, the Cajuns have traditionally lived in isolated communities. Even in the cities of New Kreshar and Alvium, where they maintain a significant presence, they are known to live in distinctly 'Cajun' neighborhoods. Historically, however, they have coexisted peacefully with the indigenous Mixtecs. The remaining 5% of the population consists of the smaller, less Westernized people who live in the furthest southern regions of Kreshar and Kundir. The most well known are the more aggressive and often rebellious Xinca and Miskito peoples, though numerous lesser known cultures remain hidden in the southern mountains and jungles, still largely unaccounted for by the Lourennian state. Current National Issues The young Free Republic of Lourenne has inherited numerous problems, many of which have plagued its people for centuries. The most pressing is the precarious state of the economy, though Lourenne's increasing presence on the international market is generally expected to stabilize the situation, despite limited protests from anti-globalization groups. Though formal relations with Sekowo are currently friendly, anti-government militias and drug cartels continue to provoke violence on both sides of the border. In Kreshar and Kundir, Xinca and Miskito militias have started to rally their people behind twin separatist movements that threaten to destabilize the southern border. Across the eastern provinces, dwindling far-right Mayan nationalist groups continue to advocate their doctrine of ethnic retribution, though the number of violent acts attributed to these groups continue to decrease. Internationally, the Free Republic has the support of most democratic regimes, though many far-left governments view it as little more than a puppet state for imperial capitalists. Recently, several international organizations have criticized Lourenne for its failure to contain drug cartels, as well as the numerous human trafficking rings that frequently work through its northern cities. Other less prominent organizations have criticized the Free Republic for failing to return unjustly nationalized industries to descendants of their original owners, as well as its long-standing restrictions on the rights of foreign investors. Southern Territories :Main Article:Orléans and Vasser Thanks to a measure passed in the summer of 2464, Lourenne has established a small colonial presence on the west coast south of Haboves, dubbing the settlement simply the "West Coast." Approximately 300,000 Lourennian citizens have moved to the West Coast, a fertile region that owes the recent population influx to the aforementioned "Colonization of the South" law, which granted free acreage to Lourennian citizens. Lourennian troops have patrolled a larger region to the east of the West Coast since 2464. Over 15,000 troops are stationed across what is now called Orléans, formerly the "West Coast," which originally spanned from the northern border of Talmoria to the south of Lourenne, and from the west to a point in the mountains halfway along Lourenne's southern border. The large penninsula to the southwest and the eastern region between Sekowo and Talmoria were also claimed by Lourenne's government, but were not occupied until September of 2475, when President Stefan Tepeu deployed the Presidential Guard to solidify the Lourennian claim. That area is now called Vasser. Reasons cited for the land's colonization include a fear that other Dovanian nations will colonize the area first, as well as a desire to improve Lourenne's economy with an expanded base of production. The majority of Orléans settlers are farmers, although Eastern Zotz Manufacturing, an international, Lourenne-based corporation, has established several new factories there. Vasser remains less developed since the dense jungles and inhospitable mountains make farmwork and other industry difficult. Both Orléans and Vasser, named after the royal family, are the property of the Monarchy as outlined in the Colonial Administration Act, 2790. Under the Colonial Administration Act, 2790, the territories were administered, at the request of the Monarch, by the government of Lourenne. In 2845, the Monarch was deposed in the disgraceful coup d'état by the republicans, the administration of the Southern Territories technically reverted back to the Imperial House. As the House of Orléans-Vasser (Lourenne) was not able to physically take over the administration of the Southern Territories, the deposed Emperor François Ier charged loyal and pro-monarchy Colonial and Provincial officials in the Southern Territories and the newly-formed Armée de la Vendée to administer and defend Orléans and Vasser until the House of Orléans-Vasser returns to the Throne of Lourenne. Higher Education Haboves * Université de Haboves, Ceran * Ceran Medical School, Ceran * University of St. Domitius, St. Domitius * Haboves Provincial University, Ferte Desseigne New Kreshar * Delaune University, Delaune * Ganteaume College, Ganteaume * Université de Valois, Valois Alvium * Erignac University, Erignac * Universitè de Alvium, Thiers * Aures University, Aures * Larosière School of Economics, Larosière Kreshar * Vataya University, Eroncourt * Université de Lac des Lumières * Seidel University, Guivarch